Friction clutch



p 22, 1942- H. v. REED 2,296,538

FRICTION CLUTCH Filed March 17, 1941 ZSheecs-Sheet l fill/672,587"? @raid' K Reed Sept. 22, 1942.

H, V. REED FRICTION CLUTCH Filed March 17, 1941 2 SheetsSheet 2 .Z'izuezzzor filrozd F Feed Patented Sept. 22, 1942 FRICTION CLUTCH Harold V. Reed, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 17, 1941, Serial No. 383,767

6 Claims.

This invention relates to friction clutches and has as its primary object to provide a clutch of extremely compact construction. Specifically, the invention aims to provide a clutch havin a minimum overall diameter.

Other objects, the advantages and uses of the invention will become more apparent after reading the following specification and claims and after consideration of the drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view through a clutch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of such clutch;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of a portion of the same;

Fig. 4 is a detailed View, partly broken away, of a portion of the same; and

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a portion of the clutch control mechanism.

As an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, I have shown in the drawings a clutch adaptable for use in a motor vehicle, said clutch comprising a driving member ID which may be the flywheel of the vehicle engine, a pressure plate II, and a driven member I2 adapted to be engaged between the driving member Ill and the pressure plate I I.

The driven member I2 includes a hub I3 splined at I4 upon a driven shaft I5 and a pair of facings I6 mounted upon the hub I3 through the medium of cushioning means I1.

compactness is achieved by reducing the overall diameter of the clutch and by eliminating from the {clutch structure per se, the conventional springs for engaging the clutch.

In the conventional clutch, there is provided a clutch cover .which serves as a reaction member for the lever and spring mechanism, and this cover is attached to the flywheel by a flange projecting radially outwardly from the body of the cover. The present invention achieves reduction in the diameter of the clutch by eliminating this radially projecting flange and substituting therefor the arrangement which will now be described.

I provide a reaction member comprising a cylindrical sleeve portion I8 which is of only slightly larger diameter than the periphery of the driven element I2 and pressure plate I I. The

sleeve portion I8 constitutes the region of maximum diameter of the reaction member, and is mounted upon the flywheel Itlv by being fitted over a cylindrical turned periphery I9 thereof. It is secured in place by a plurality of flat retainer plates 20 each having a lug 2| extending into a lanced opening 22 in an ear 23 formed as an extensionof the sleeve portion I8 of the reaction member. The forward face of the flywh'eel I0 is provided with an annular recess 24 which receives the retainer plates permitting the latter to lie flush with the inner region of the flywheel. The inner ends of the retainer plates .20 are fitted against a shoulder 25 defining the inner extremity of the recess 24. The retainer plates 20 are provided with shoulders 25 which engage the inner surfaces of the ears 23 so as to support the retainer plates against radially outward movement. The retainer plates are attached to the flywheel :by machine screws 21 extended loosely through openings 28 therein and. threaded into the flywheel. Even though a screw 21 should not be drawn home securely, the retainer plate 20 will not be dislocated radially, because of the retention by the shoulder 25 and the inner surfaces of the ears 23 acting against the shoulder 26.

Axial compactness is achieved by eliminating self contained clutch engagement springs, and providing a single engagement spring 29 which acts against a lever 30 fulcrumed at 3I on a member 32 fixed to the vehicle chassis. The lever 30 acts at its other end 33 against a thrust bearing 34 slidable on the driven shaft I5. The thrust bearing 34 in turn transmits engaging pressure to the pressure plate II through the medium of a plurality of levers 35, each arranged to transmit thrust to the plate through a tilting strut 36, and fulcrumed at its outer end 31 in a fulcrum region 38 of the reaction member I3.

The fulcrum regions 38 are offset radially inwardly from the sleeve portion I8, the offset regions being indicated at 39. The lever ends 31 are extended through fulcrum openings 40 in the fulcrum portions 38 and are engaged against fulcrum edges GI defined in said openings 40.

The load of the spring 29 may be taken off of the lever 30 by manual operating mechanism including a suitable control pedal or the like (not shown) and linkage including a pull link 42 acting against the outer end of the lever.

The retainer plates 20 secure the reaction member I8 against axial movement in either direction, thus rigidly positioning it with reference to the flywheel.

I claim:

1. In a friction clutch, a driven element, a pressure plate and flywheel arranged to engage said element between them, a reaction member having a sleeve portion encircling the flywheel and fitted on the periphery thereof, said sleeve portion having slotted regions projecting forwardly of the flywheel, and securing elements detachably attached to the forward side of the flywheel and having fingers projecting into the slots of said slotted region for securing the reaction member on the flywheel.

2. In a friction clutch, a driven element, a pressure plate and flywheel arranged to engage said element between them, a reaction member having a sleeve portion encircling the flywheel and fitted on the periphery thereof, said sleeve portion having a region projecting forwardly of the flywheel, and a securing element detachably attached to the forward side of the flywheel and having a portion interengaging with said forwardly projecting region of the reaction member for securing the reaction member against axial movement on the flywheel.

3. In a friction clutch, a driven element, a pressure plate and flywheel arranged to engage said element between them, a reaction member having a sleeve portion encircling the pressure plate and extendingforwardly of said flywheel, and a securing element-detachably attached to the forward side of the flywheel; said" securing securing element is-in the form of a plate member lying-flatly against a forward surface of the flywheel, said clutch including a separate member forsecuring said plate member to the flywheel.

6. A clutch as defined in claim 3, including machine screwsa extended through said securing elements and. threaded; into thefiywheel for detachably securing said elements to. the flywheel.

HAROLD V" REED. 

